Woodland's Pioneer High football limps into rivarly game with Woodland

The injury news on the East end of Woodland is not quite as cheery as it is out West.

While the Woodland Wolves have licked their season-long wounds and are relatively healthy just in time for tonight's traditional 7 p.m. rivalry showdown with Pioneer High School, the Patriots these days are sporting more black and blue than their school colors of black and gold

Pioneer linemen and linebackers have endured bumps and bruises all year. But in their 50-6 loss at the hands of Inderkum last week, the Patriots had skill position players leave the field with a pimp walk, and not because they were trying to be cool.

Jesse Chavarria-Ortiz and Jacob Barker, both wingbacks, suffered what appeared to be leg injuries against Inderkum. Head coach Matt Bryson was a little bit coy about which of his slew of dinged up players would be available this week -- "If (Woodland watches) the game film they can see it," he said -- but it won't be a surprise if fullback Juan Carlos Ramirez plays a bit of wingback tonight against Woodland as he did on a fill-in basis last week against Inderkum.

"Obviously it's worst case scenario," Bryson said on Wednesday. "We took a tough one from (Inderkum) last Friday and physically we did too. We've had four kids from that group of guys that played that night not practice yet this week.

"We are thinning and that's what happens to groups that are thin to begin with."

In other words, even at full strength the 2012 Patriots weren't brimming with talent and versatility. Their Wing-T offense works best when Ramirez and his running mate Jason Whitfield share between-the-tackles carries at fullback. It's nothing fancy or explosive, but it has helped Pioneer forge its current 4-5 overall record, 1-3 in the Tri-County Conference.

Against Inderkum, Ramirez spent the bulk of the second half at wingback. The result? Of the 60 rushing yards he had for the night, exactly none of them came in the final 24 minutes.

"Our goal was to get a first down at first (against Inderkum)," Ramirez said. "We took little steps. Then we came out and got a touchdown, we got something going. I had to move (to wingback) and I did my best.

"(Whitfield), he took my spot and he played his heart out too."

All of that heart hasn't made much of a dent this season against the stronger teams on the Patriots' schedule, and make no mistake, despite Woodland's 2-7 on-field record (1-8 officially after forfeiting last week's win over River Valley for using an ineligible player), the Wolves right now are as tough as any opponent Pioneer has faced not named Inderkum or Yuba City.

"Clearly last week (Woodland) played well," Bryson said. "They went up to River Valley and physically dominated them in a game that was really big in River Valley's sense. So what they did last week was very impressive.

"They're getting healthy. (Woodland running back/receiver Doug Coman) is an electric kid that really changes the dynamic of what they can do offensively. They've played good defense throughout the year, at least they've played solid defense throughout the year."

So despite their records, Pioneer doesn't have a chance in Hades tonight against Woodland, right?

"On paper you would say they're a two- to three-touchdown favorite," Bryson said.

Funny, that's pretty much the same thing the Wolves' camp has been saying in reverse.

"So we're both Lou Holtz-ing it."

Yes, coach Bryson, that pretty much sums it up.

"I do know this," Bryson continued, "regardless of the situation in this game, this is clearly a rival game and I think that teams that may be the so-called underdog always has a puncher's chance, because you've truly seen some crazy things in this series."

Which is why anyone in Woodland who loves high school football would be crazy to miss the latest version of Patriots vs. Wolves.